Elise Salaun

Associate Director, French School

Courses

Course List:

Courses offered in the past four years. ▲indicates offered in the current term▹indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]

FREN6644 - The History of Québec

Quebec is a unique society which was born and has evolved at the crossroads of two Occidental empires, France and Great-Britain. This course will cover the major periods in Quebec’s history from its origins as New France (1680-1760), to British North America (1763-1867), the Dominion of Canada (1867-1959), and modern Québec (1960-present). Since the French settlements along the banks of the Saint Lawrence River, Canadians of French origin had to defend their heritage in skirmishes and wars against various First Nation Peoples, British and English-Canadians. Because of this situation, they developed a unique culture, historically founded on the Catholic religion, the French language, and family values. It is interesting to note that Québec presently has health and educational systems unlike any other in North America as well as an unparalleled legal system for the protection of the French language. This course will also cover the critical moments in Québec’s quest for political independence which occurred during the past few decades (in the form of referendums). After nearly 400 years of existence in North America, Québec has become a modern society facing contemporary issues such as the environment, globalization, and a the transformation of social identity.

FREN6645 - Quebec's Cinema & Culture

Le Québec en images: cinéma québécois / Cinéma québécois

Quebec films offer a rich and diverse repertoire of works which delve primarily into the social identity of the largest French speaking culture in North America. Other predominate themes to be discussed focus more on the social and historical particularities of Quebec. These include: British colonization, Catholicism, winter, large families, the north, etc. This course will follow the evolution of film making in Quebec since its conception in the beginning of the 20th century and focus primarily on two defining decades. The first, known as the Quiet Revolution (1960-1980), is considered as the starting point of contemporary Quebecois cinema. From this period emerged the National Film Board of Canada, several of the Quebec’s most influential film producers: Jutra, Brault, Perreault, Carle, Arcand, etc., as well as various styles of cinematography, most notably, “cinema direct” or candid eye.

The second part, the New Generation (1990-2000) will show how a group of young filmmakers provided a second wind to an ailing industry. Through the use of more modern filming techniques, and a post-modern approach to script writing which focused less on social and political themes, they were instrumental in gaining international recognition for Quebecois cinema. For each period, we will discuss and analyze several film makers and their selected works.

FREN6648 - French Quebecois

French of Quebec

The goal of this course is to demonstrate how the French of Quebec constitutes not only the language of art and literature but an integral part of Quebecers’ identity. By reading and discussing critical essays and diverse forms of literature such as folktales and legends, songs and novels, students will be exposed to the linguistic particularities of Quebec French, known as québécismes. They will also understand how the language evolved throughout its history in a North America environment. In the 1960’s, literature proved to be the perfect setting for this creative and original form of French language in both the cultural and political arenas of Quebec. Since this decade, several of these significant Quebecois texts, which will be discussed in this course, have transcended the borders of Quebec where they have enriched francophone literature globally.

FREN6653 - Art of Songwriting in Quebec

The goal of the course is to show how the art of songwriting in Québec is a primary and original aspect of Québecois culture. Songs have not only helped the people of Québec to survive but allow them to express their aspirations and their ideals through time. It is also important to understand the impact of québécois songs on the entire francophone culture. Many of Québec's authors, composers and performers have gained notoriety in France and other Francophone countries. The course aims to introduce the history and various themes of Québec songs throughout three major periods: l'implantation (1608-1959), l'expression (1960-1989) and l'innovation (1990 to today ). By understanding these periods, students will be able to analyze songs in a sociological perspective and to discover how Québec's most influential performers have established and marked the corpus of québécois songs.

FREN6671 - Lang & Literature in Quebec

Located at the crossroads between American and French cultures, Québec literature finds its roots in these two major influences. The course will follow the important stages of Québec's literary history by studying several of its most prominent and influential works. Starting with the first period of increased nationalism at the dawn of the 20th century through the Quiet Revolution and the dynamism of contemporary immigrant literature, the course will provide an overview of the socio-cultural conditions that have shaped the literature of Quebec. Several authors, entire works, and short excerpts will be studied. Different genres - poetry, novels, plays and essays - will be invoked to illustrate the richness and importance of Québec literature.